Sep 18 Japan Eats: Coco Ichibanya, Japanese Curry Chain

Coco Ichibanya is a Japanese chain that started in 1978. It has rapidly grown to become a curry empire with over 1400 restaurant chains throughout the world. In fact, Coco Ichibanya holds the world record title being the largest curry restaurant chain in the world, according to the Guinness World Record. The high number of chain locations made it convenient to find and eat Coco Ichibanya’s Japanese curry throughout our Japan trip.

On the first day I arrived in Japan, Coco Ichibanya was my second meal. I was warmly greeted in Japanese and seated at a table. Although there was a language barrier, the limited service was excellent and efficient. Utensils and water was available at the table for self-serve.

Ordering is simple with the English Menu which included pictures of each meal. Coco Ichibanya conveniently has their menu online here with prices included.

If you enjoy the McDonald’s Ebi burger in Japan, you will enjoy the shrimp cutlet curry. The shrimp cutlet was crispy and delicious. The panko encrusted shrimp was fried perfectly and stayed crispy while simultaneously soaking up the mild curry sauce. After devouring the shrimp cutlet, I wanted another one! ❤

Don’t forget to add the table-side complimentary pickles. You can see the pickles in the clear container in the picture above. Pickles look like radish or turnip, adding sweet and savory crunch to your curry meal.

Coco Ichibanya is worth trying for their consistent standard of Japanese curry. Coco Ichibanya is a budget-friendly restaurant with selections that can satisfy hungry locals and travelers. When ordering, just point at the pictured English menu and your order will be served efficiently!